The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing sheet material, in particular bank notes, papers of value and the like.
DE 27 60 269 C2 discloses an apparatus for automatic sorting of thin sheet material having an input pocket for receiving bank notes, a singling device, a transport system, a checking device disposed along the transport system and at least one deposit device. In accordance with the results of the checking device, sheet material is divided into cases fit for circulation, cases unfit for circulation and indeterminable cases, the fit and unfit sheet material being transported to different deposit devices and the indeterminable cases stored in a buffer. Data on the deposited sheet material are stored in a data memory. These data are used for, among other things, preparing a protocol that permits a statement about the indeterminable cases. The protocol is used at a manual reworking station for evaluating and checking by hand the indeterminable cases taken from the buffer. The result of the manual check can be inputted to the data memory to complete the data.
The known apparatus thus has the advantage that the automatic sorting process can be continued when indeterminable cases occur, since the indeterminable cases are deposited in a buffer and can be evaluated and checked by means of the prepared protocol at a later time or else simultaneously with the automatic sorting process. The apparatus can therefore be operated at maximum throughput without interruption.
However, the known apparatus has the disadvantage that when indeterminable cases occur frequently, this necessitates elevated effort for manual reworking at the manual reworking station. Since the operator of the automatic sorting apparatus frequently also does the reworking of the indeterminable cases at the manual reworking station parallel to automatic sorting, this nevertheless results sooner or later in an influence on operation that reduces throughput. This problem is increased further by the fact that sheet material that cannot be processed by the apparatus because of faulty processes in the apparatus is frequently additionally transported into the buffer or a further buffer. Such faulty processes can arise e.g. through simultaneous removal of more than one sheet by the singling device, skewed transport of sheet material, etc. Altogether, this increases the rate of sheet material to be manually reworked and thus the effort required for the operator.
In addition, sheet material processing apparatuses have become known in which the sorting or counting process is always interrupted when sheet material is checked by the checking device but cannot be determined by the checking device, e.g. because there is only one output pocket. In these cases an operator must do a manual check of the sheet material. The result of the check can be inputted to the apparatus by the operator by means of an input device and the sorting or counting process continued.
However, it is disadvantageous here that the apparatus interrupts the sorting or counting process each time sheet material that cannot be determined is checked. This hinders rapid processing of large quantities of sheet material. Moreover, the check is difficult and elaborate for the operator since it is not readily apparent which problem or error has prevented the apparatus from determining the sheet material.